By Sulitest.
As we face accelerating biodiversity loss, understanding how much people really know about biodiversity—particularly those positioned to influence financial flows—is vital. Sulitest, a BIOFIN-EU partner, has investigated knowledge trends to help bridge the gap between finance and biodiversity with findings from its global sustainability knowledge assessment, TASK™.
Biodiversity: a crisis of awareness
Despite growing awareness of environmental issues, biodiversity often remains an underrepresented topic in both public discourse and educational programs. The latest IPBES Global Assessment warns that around 1 million species face extinction unless urgent action is taken. But if decision-makers in finance and business are unaware of the drivers of biodiversity loss—or how they can be part of the solution—how can we expect meaningful financial flows into nature-positive solutions?
What TASK™ tells us about biodiversity knowledge
Sulitest analyzed over 45,000 TASK™ assessments from students at 80+ higher education institutions worldwide.
TASK™ measures sustainability knowledge across three core dimensions: Earth Systems, Human Welfare, and Levers of Opportunity. Focusing on themes most relevant to BIOFIN-EU, the analysis revealed some concerning trends:
- Lower average scores in biosphere integrity compared to climate change, indicating a limited understanding of biodiversity among respondents.
- Within the Levers of Opportunity theme, knowledge of Macroeconomics and Finance and the role of Laws, Policies and Institutions in promoting sustainability was notably weaker than other levers—especially concerning, given BIOFIN-EU’s emphasis on financial system transformation.
Business students show a critical knowledge gap
Given BIOFI-EU’s focus on building capacity in the finance sector, we looked specifically at students from business studies backgrounds, comparing them to peers studying environmental sciences or sustainability.
Business Studies
Total number of assessments (n) = 4763
- Accounting (n=2)
- Business Administration (n=2911)
- Communication (n=12)
- Economics (n=2)
- Entrepreneurship (n=17)
- Finance (n=115)
- Human Resources Management (n=10)
- International Business (n=157)
- Management (n=1237)
- Marketing (n=59)
- Real Estate (n=63)
- Sports Sciences & Management (n=59)
- Supply Chain Management (n=119)
Environmental Sciences & Sustainability Studies
Total number of assessments (n) = 790
- Agricultural science (n=226)
- Biology (n=123)
- Environmental Studies (n=83)
- Sustainability (n=358)
The findings were clear:
- Business students scored lower across all environmental topics, including biodiversity, ecosystem services, and planetary boundaries.
- They also underperformed in levers of change, suggesting a lack of awareness about how their future roles in finance and business can be used to drive biodiversity-positive outcomes.
From awareness to action: building capacity for biodiversity finance
To respond to this need, Sulitest led a workshop within the BIOFIN-EU plenary meeting to co-develop a conceptual framework that will help educators and trainers better equip finance students and professionals with the understanding to support nature-based solutions (NbS) and biodiversity-aligned business models.
Closing the biodiversity knowledge gap: the financial sector must act—and learn
Unlocking biodiversity finance isn’t just about creating new investment vehicles. It’s about upskilling the professionals who design, regulate, and allocate financial resources. Our data shows we have a long way to go—but BIOFIN-EU is tracing the path forward.
